First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Post Graduate
The first year is divided into two semester modules of four credits
each.
114 Introduction to Archaeology
This course has the purpose of introducing the student to
archaeology as subject that is relevant to modern society. Knowledge
of the past can divide people but it can also link people. Appreciation
of a common human heritage is explored and the way and means of
conserving evidence from the past is discussed. An introduction
to the ways in which archaeologists learn about the past is given
and selected examples discussed. This is a very general introductory
course.
144 Introduction to early human societies
This course uses examples of societies from the Stone Age
to the modern Industrial Age to show what we can learn of human
diversity and achievements through archaeology. Case studies of
important archaeological sites of hunter-gatherers, early farmers
and town dwellers are used to illustrate the human career. Some
examples are drawn from Africa and others from Australia, Israel,
Denmark and elsewhere. It is a general interest level course.
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The second year is divided into three semester modules, one of
four credits and two of two credits each.
212 Archaeological theory and methodology
This a core course introducing the student to archaeological
method and theory. It gives an overview of the development of
concepts in archaeology and makes the goals of the subject explicit.
The nature of the archaeological evidence, the artefacts, things
made by people, and their preservation and context is discussed.
The methods used by archaeologists to date and analyse their
finds are illustrated. The interpretation of the archaeological
record within the framework of the main theoretical ''schools''
makes up an important component of this course. The course will
allow the students to read and understand archaeological publications
222 Origins of people
This course is designed to be an introduction to human evolution.
It takes a broad view and starts with the origins of the earth
and living systems. The unity among living organisms is contrasted
with the evolution of diversity over geological time. The student
is introduced to the primates, the zoological order that includes
lemurs, monkeys, apes and people. There is an opportunity to learn
about the similarities and differences between people and their
nearest relatives in the animal kingdom. The second part of the
course is concerned with the fossil evidence that traces the evolution
of humankind from the last common ancestor with the great apes
to the emergence and spread of modern peoples over the whole globe.
244 Archaeology of cultural development
This course traces the human story from its beginnings to
the rise of civilisations. It is designed to give the student
a world perspective on the achievements of humankind. A bench
mark is the dependence on tool making that can be seen more than
2 million years ago and this is what separates us from our nearest
relatives. Advances in technology, control of fire and increasing
social complexity are some of the themes discussed, leading to
the emergence of modern kinds of people and modern behaviour.
Markers for modern behaviour are the use of artefacts as symbols,
art and language which are evidenced in the Stone Age. With the
domestication of plants and animals in the last 10 000 years the
scene was set for increasing populations and the emergence of
urban life.
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The third year is divided into three semester modules, one of
four credits and two of two credits each.
314 Archaeology in Africa
The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to
African archaeology. Three main themes are developed. Firstly,
human origins in Africa is discussed from a Neo-Darwinian viewpoint
and integrated with the evidence from the fossil and archaeological
records. Secondly the question of the emergence of early modern
people is considered in the light of current debates. The third
theme is concerned with the spread of food production in Africa
and the consequences for the emergence of permanent settlements
and complex societies.
342 Quaternary studies
This course is designed to give the student an introduction
to palaeoecological studies relevant in archaeology. Geological
time and changing climates of the earth are explained. How global
changes affected habits in Africa is considered and this takes
in discussion of changing lake levels, mountain glaciers and the
expansion and contraction of forest and deserts. Finally through
case studies the palaeoecology of species of plants and animals
is explored against the background of human utilisation of the
environment.
352 Ethno archaeology
This is an advanced course that integrates archaeology and
ethnoarchaeology as a means of exploring the roots of South African
society. The focus is on colonial archaeology and San ethnography.
This focus allows discussion of how archaeologists view the past
and how archaeologists are active role players in shaping attitudes
and perceptions taken up in the wider community.
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Honours
The Honours course is essentially a reading course with the
requirement of a series of written essays on selected themes and
a project. It provides an opportunity for guided study into aspects
of theory and details of the archaeological record from different
time ranges and geographical areas. The purpose of the projects
is to gain experience in gathering and analysing archaeological
information and preparing it for publication.
Masters
This course requires an appropriate dissertation at the level
of a preparatory research degree.
Doctorate
This is an advanced research degree and the requirement is
an appropriate dissertation.
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